- Kia gave a first glimpse at the upcoming EV4 GT, the performance variant of the affordable four-door EV.
- The prototype features a green-and-gray camouflage, but the car’s design is anything but hidden.
- It features redesigned front and rear bumpers, 20-inch wheels and green brake calipers.
The Kia EV4 is gearing up for a North American launch soon, but before that happens, the automaker is already laying the groundwork for a performance version, which will be known as the EV4 GT.
Few details are known about the upcoming affordable performance EV, but at least now we know what the car will look like, courtesy of a fresh batch of official photos from Kia. The automaker wrapped the car in what looks like camouflage, but it leaves nothing to the imagination.
The hatchback-shaped electric prototype features redesigned front and rear bumpers, 20-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport rubber, green brake calipers, and the words “Great Thrills” all over the bodywork–I guess that’s what Kia believes “GT” stands for–not “Grand Tourer” or “Grand Turismo”.
The car looks very similar to the GT-Line trim, which looks sporty but doesn’t get any meaningful upgrades under the skin. The full-blown EV4 GT, however, is expected to pack a dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain with roughly 400 horsepower–by comparison, the Tesla Model 3 Performance has about 510 horsepower. Kia’s electric hot hatch and sedan combo could also integrate the same virtual gear shift system found on the EV6 GT and Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. Powering the two electric motors could be the same 81.4-kilowatt-hour battery found in the top-spec versions that are currently on sale in Europe.
Gallery: Kia EV4 GT prototype
Inside, the GT-flavored EV4 should be mostly the same as the tamer versions, with a little bit of acid greed sprinkled here and there, and some special graphics for the infotainment system. These are just guesses, though; we’ll know for sure once the automaker lifts the wraps off the production version.
Obviously, the car pictured here is a hatchback, and the United States will only get the sedan version of the EV4, as confirmed earlier this year by a company spokesperson for InsideEVs. But that’s not really a problem, as the EV4 sedan should also get a go-fast variant after the regular version goes on sale in the first quarter of 2026.
“Production for North America and Australia will begin later this year, in the last quarter,” a spokesperson told reporters during a briefing about the Kia EV4 in Seoul earlier this year. “All-wheel drive and GT models will be introduced in the future.”
Kia’s EV6 GT is a fantastic performance EV, so I expect the EV4 to be more of the same, albeit with a lower price tag and somewhat diminished performance.
